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Condition
Bladder problems & infections
Urgency, frequency, leakage and recurrent infections are common, treatable, and worth assessing properly rather than living with.
Overactive bladder
An overactive bladder causes a sudden, hard-to-defer urge to urinate, often with increased frequency and sometimes leakage before reaching the toilet. It's a common and genuinely treatable condition, with options ranging from simple lifestyle and bladder-training measures through to medication and, for some, specialist procedures.
Recurrent urine infections
Occasional urine infections are common, particularly in women. When infections keep recurring, it's worth investigating whether there's an underlying cause — such as incomplete bladder emptying, a stone, or, in men, prostate enlargement — since urine infections are generally less common in men and are more often worth a closer look when they occur.
Urinary leakage
Leakage that comes alongside a sudden, hard-to-defer urge is often related to an overactive bladder, and is assessed and treated as above. Many people find this embarrassing to raise, but it is an extremely common reason for a urology consultation.
Mr Swallow does not treat female stress incontinence. If that is your main concern, your GP can refer you to a urogynaecology or female-urology specialist, who will be better placed to help.
What assessment involves
Mr Swallow will take a history of your symptoms, may ask you to keep a simple bladder diary, and — depending on your situation — arrange a urine test, a flow test, or an ultrasound scan to build a clear picture before discussing the right next step for you.